WASHINGTON, DC, January 9, 2012 — Law360 named Covington & Burling’s global privacy & data security practice as one of the top five “Privacy & Consumer Protection Practice Groups of the Year.”

In a profile about the firm published on Jan. 5th, Law360 pointed to Covington’s broad practice in assisting clients in transactions, on advisory matters, in social media and new technology, and in defending class-action privacy litigation matters. In particular, it noted that Microsoft Corp.’s swift $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype Technologies SA, “belied the complexity of the data privacy issues that Covington & Burling LLP helped longtime client Microsoft navigate on both sides of the Atlantic.”

The publication wrote that “the completion of the Skype deal was among several wins for Covington’s global privacy and data security group, which has tripled since 2006 in response to the ongoing reform of data protection rules, with 40 attorneys working in the group across five offices worldwide.”

Law360 cited other victories in making its selection, noting that the firm successfully persuaded a judge to dismiss claims against the firm’s clients Microsoft, CBS Corp., McDonald's Corp. and Mazda Motor of America Inc. in a class action in August 2011.

“Our team is deeply honored to be recognized by Law360 as having one of the world’s premier privacy practice, and we are proud of the work that we have been privileged to do for an amazing group of clients,” said Henriette Tielemans and Kurt Wimmer, co-chairs of Covington’s global privacy & data security practice. Covington’s privacy group encompasses some 40 attorneys practicing in Washington, Brussels, London, Beijing, New York, and California.

More than 550 submissions from across the globe were reviewed by a committee of Law360 editors and five winners were selected for each practice area. Law firms were selected for top honors based on the significance, size and complexity of the matters they handled for clients over the past year.

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Covington & Burling LLP operates as a limited liability partnership worldwide, with the practice in England and Wales conducted by an affiliated
limited liability multinational partnership, Covington & Burling LLP, which is formed under the laws of the State of Delaware in the United States
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